Sad and hopeless anniversary. As the world marks 400 years since the first recorded African slaves arrived in North America, slavery remains a modern-day scourge. 

Over 40 million people are estimated to be trapped in forced labor, forced marriages or other forms of sexual exploitation, according to the United Nations.

Africa has the highest prevalence of slavery, with more than seven victims for every 1,000 people, according to a 2017 report by human rights group Walk Free Foundation and the International Labour Office.

The report defines slavery as “situations of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, deception, and/or abuse of power", said Reuters. 

Trafficking of sex workers, many of them tricked into thinking they will get employment doing something else, is one of the most widespread and abusive forms of modern-day slavery.

Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF) is an anti-human trafficking group established in 1999 in Nigeria that tries to combat this affliction that includes isolation, abuse and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

"We believe in the adage that says "Prevention is better than cure"", says the organization that carries out public enlightment and sensitization campaign against human exploitation.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Photo by lalesh aldarwish from Pexels ; 3Motional Studio from Pexels